Only in it for the money

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This post was inspired by a discussion between myself and @slobberchops. We chat a lot about the state of Steem and the challenges it faces. It can get you down and I need to look for hope.

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As far as I can see the two main reasons people come to Steem are:

  1. Money
  2. Freedom

The first of these is probably the main draw for most people, but the fact that anyone can earn depends on the second.

On Steem you do not have to provide any proof of who you are or bank details. You may have to depending on how you sign up, but there are options to pay or have another user create your account. Then nobody can stop you doing what you want with what you earn. The caveat is that others can influence what your posts earn both up and down. You can also earn from curation and that is harder to take away.

Part of this freedom is that you are responsible for the security of your account. With blockchains a simple password is not enough. You need encryption keys to sign transactions. These keys will not be memorable, but then you should not be typing them. Use a password manager or Steem Keychain to enter them as required. The different levels of key reduce the risk of your account being compromised. I do find it annoying that Steem Connect and some other sites at you can use your master key, but that should only be used to change the other keys.

This complexity will be daunting to new users. Good user interface design goes a long way. It should direct users to tools like Keychain and make it clear what each key is for. Links to tutorials and videos can help. Never assume that your users are technical.

The freedom also means we do not depend on one organisation to provide access to Steem. Steemit could go away and we would still have eSteem and Steempeak. I would recommend those as better options anyway.

Something else that can put people off is that this freedom allows trolls and people banned from other platforms to operate freely. It is not so much that they are allowed or encouraged, but that there is nothing to stop them. If we compromise that then who it to determine who is allowed to join up? Do we want our freedom compromised? We do have the option to downvote content that we feel harms Steem to deprive users of rewards. Even if they are not driven away their reduced reputation may make their posts less visible.

I said at the start that most people come for the money, but economics mean that some will not make much. Can it be enough that they have fun here and at least make a little? Billions use other platforms for no reward, but there has to be a critical mass of users and compelling content to keep them here. Maybe some investment by Tron in marketing can help with those. Steemit never got around to it.

I remain optimistic about the potential of Steem. It has already changed lives. Not just those who made thousands for a post in the early days, but also people in places like Venezuela who had enough to pay the rent or buy the food they need. What other platform has done that?

Communities could help new users as they can immediately reach an audience who share their interests without having to buy votes.

We have to talk about the problems. Steem has struggled to grow and we the community can play a part in addressing them.

Steem on!

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32 comments
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I think people come for community and shared interests as well. Money and freedom are quite individual attributes, whereas what makes Steem fun and valuable is the social interaction. Sometimes this verges towards the dramatic - some people enjoy that and I must admit that, although I don't engage with it, I do sometimes enjoy watching it play out - and sometimes it's a bit quiet, like being in the pub and there's no one to play darts with. But generally, on the whole, I've made some good friends and come into contact with a whole range of people with similar interests ... or they just know things :)

It's also a great place for learning, whether that's an interest, or about the blockchain itself. That, I find infinitely interesting, and the ingenious way that people develop to both game the system and to counter people gaming the system. Rapid, fearless iteration!

We haven't even started to see what social and economic benefits Steem can bring, I'm not sure we can even imagine them yet, the way this new technology works brings so many new affordances. We're (where I work, I mean) continuing to work on our ideas for how Steem could benefit charities and I don't doubt that in ten years time, Steem will be commonplace :)

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I want to see people come here for shared interests. If you can get enough people around those then it can be useful and fun. I like to follow the developments of the platform too as I'm excited to be involved in something this radical.

Can I ask if you consider yourself tech-savvie? Ease of use does seem to be a problem for many new users. Some I know have joined, but do not use it.

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I'm not sure what tech-savvie means :)

I'm more interested in the social impact of digital communications networks and digital social environments. I knew blockchain was important long before I arrived at Steem, and I was looking for an opportunity to learn about it and understand it.

I knew it could help musicians and other creative people, although not exactly how, and I had an idea and still have an idea that it could bridge the gap between the growing social care needs of an ageing population and some of the underemployment and poverty we have in some areas. I'm still working on discovering how that could happen, but I know it is about a matter of time rather than it isn't possible.

I think to have De Montfort University interested and starting to get to grips with some of the myths is a bit of a coup, a marked change from my first meeting with them in August. I'm really looking forward to SteemCampUK, because I think once the University staff meet lots of ordinary people who are engaged with blockchain technology everyday, we will start to see some greater movement. I'm interested in who their experts will be: they told me that Derbyshire Police Force have developed an expertise around Bitcoin fraud/scams and any incidents from anywhere in the country are referred to them - I'd like to hear meet someone from there.

I very rarely (if ever) feel downhearted on Steem.

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I just meant if you consider yourself a technical person when it comes to IT. All the talk of keys and markdown can be bewildering even before you consider the blockchain. Other sites just need a password.

Getting the university involved could lead to new ideas and charities could make use of it too. I guess they have to consider how they account for any income. Not sure the tax man has really caught up with crypto.

Great to hear you are still upbeat about it and I am really looking forward to SteemCampUK. Ought to get that hotel booked.

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I'm not a technical person, my niece had to show me how to turn on data usage on the phone I've had for five years last weekend :)

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I forgot to serve you a !BEER :)

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Oh, thank you, that's what I need after a hard evening on the keyboard 😎

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(Edited)

Great post, @steevc. I still have a lot to learn about Steemit (I think I´m still 100% ignorant). I came for two reasons, one of them money as you said (I´m from Venezuela, and you have said an absolut truth: maybe $ 30,50,100 or a little more may not be "that much" in many countries, but here it may be the difference from eating or not, or getting a medicine or not; sad but true. By the way, thanks for being aware of our situation. Not because we can still use internet, and play guitar -for example-, it means things are good here; actually, social etworks and music are just ways of escaping reality for some time); the other was the place itself: according to what I read, people can post what they like, can interact with many other people around the world, it´s better than twitter since you can post more without the character limitation, and , again, people can have some earnings from writing about anything they like, once they get some followers. I got interested because of it.
Have to check on eSteem and Steempeak.
Blockchains is chinesse to me -I don´t speak chinesse-.
So, I´m here to know people, with common interests, and to try to make some money, but being honest with what I post.
Good!

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Well you beat me on speaking another language :) You have obviously managed to get somewhere with using Steem. Did you struggle with it at first? You say you do not know much about blockchain, but are you experienced with other computer technology?

Have a !BEER

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:) I´m beginning to understand how some things work here. I´m afraid I´m not that fast regarding some computer/informatic stuff; I´m trying to remedy it. I´m doing my homework researching what to do with the BEER you´ve just sent me. Thanks a lot!

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Once I realized this isn't the place to be making a ton of money my focus has always been on growing my account. I would like to one day be able to throw out some big upvotes and not have to worry so much about growing. It feels like everything I do right now is still focused on growing. One day I would like to be able to cash out some rewards, but I need to be in a stable place where I can be helping others and sustain myself before I do that.

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Growing our own accounts and the community in general are the ways to add value to Steem. I think everyone should have a chance to cash out and I don't hold it against them as I have done it myself.

Have a !BEER

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Im on here just because I can be I guess,and im embrassing the blockchain revolution. I am thinking recently about the digital future and digital ID's and reputations and for people with no facebook, and bank accounts ect to be able to have something to show others.
The ones who will refuse any microchip and government UBI, will be needing Crypto, but Iget it that the masses wont change and a minority will be 'fugitives of the system'

I forget that people expect to be earning money from here but there are a few like me who just do it to firstly store things on chain and to just use it to make up the number of users and to have access to a social mediathat isnt full of twats. Just taking part in an experiment of the steem social media platforms.

Thank fuck someone else owns steemit.com now, thats a great change to bring steem more marketing even if we are well before its time.

Feels like another era has begun with steem since the last being #newsteem

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Obviously some people are desperate for any money they can make, but I think a fair few want the platform to succeed for the greater good. My Steem was worth almost $100k at one point before the price crashed. If it gets there again I may well take some out and treat the family. Going for the quick buck is a bad strategy as there is far more to be made if we actually help Steem grow.

Have a !BEER

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I am absolutely in agreement with @shanibeer regarding other reasons for coming here. I would be disappointed if I'd come for freedom. There is very very little here and it's getting worse. Freedom can be bought if you have money but most can't make money unless they have freedom which those that sadly need it most don't have and those that could give it, don't.
Steem has to be more than money and freedom or it will be stuck in the loop that's in now forever

Posted using Partiko Android

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How do you think we have less freedom? We can vote stuff down, but we cannot take it off the blockchain and anyone could put up a site that ignores downvotes when it comes to ranking posts.

Have a !BEER

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A third reason...

Crypto Education and curiosity was my original reason.

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I think that is a factor too. I had played around with crypto faucets and some other stuff, but Steem is my biggest crypto holding by far and I love the technology. I expect some people don't really care as long as they get paid.

Have a !BEER

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This ignorant user is spreading dangerous lies in order to attempt to gain popularity and attention from the new commie overlord. Ignore the ignorant twat bag, you'll immediately feel better about your life.

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there has to be a critical mass of users and compelling content to keep them here.

The problem that I see is the limitation on the number of accounts that can be claimed. Right now the limit is 2295 accounts per day which amounts to 837,675 per year... that is not enough to reach any sort of critical mass.

I understand that in order to prevent a spamming attack on the network limitations are needed but this could also be achieved by allowing a much higher number of claimable accounts per day.

To prevent a spam attack we can just limit the operations allowed to new accounts to only power up a minimun of 3 steem. If the new accounts do not have the steem needed to power up then whoever is onboarding should pickup the slack by delegating resource credits.

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I was not aware of that limitation. But if we could even get some active communities of a few thousand people then Steem would be more compelling. I see from the stats @penguinpablo produces that we have been gaining 2000 to 3000 accounts per week, so there is scope for fast more, but I'm not sure how many of those actually do anything. We need real active users.

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I'm just here to troll like a hipster in an underground community.

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That shows lack of ambition. There are much bigger communities you could be trolling. But if course we are honoured to have your trollery on Steem.

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Lack of ambition? There is a very good reason why I do it.

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